Friday, April 11, 1997

Fort Collins--After 14 years of building the Colorado State volleyball program into a nationally competitive power, head coach Rich Feller announced that he will be stepping down to assume the position of assistant coach of the USA Women's National Volleyball Team that will train for the 2000 Olympics.

"I'm so excited."said Feller. "It's just such a golden opportunity with the travel and the experience of working with the elite athletes. When I got into college coaching, I had a couple of dreams, to win an NCAA championship, to take a program from nothing and turn it into a national-level program, and to coach the Olympic team. This is it. This is as high as you can go in my profession."

Feller's move is not without trepidation. He leaves behind a program that has brought him head coaching success, and a team in 1997 that could produce one of the best seasons in school history.

"It's really bittersweet, I've got the best team probably of my career coming back for me this year. But it's also really good for me to feel I can leave my team in great shape. It's a team that can go further than I've taken them already.

With the support of the Colorado State athletic department administration and staff, as well as the Fort Collins community, I was given the opportunities to achieve tremendous successes and reach many goals. I want to wholeheartedly thank everyone who has been a part of our program."

With a 299-167 overall record in 14 years at Colorado State, Feller built the foundation of Colorado State volleyball.

"Rich has done a tremendous job at Colorado State with the overall development of our volleyball program."said Athletic Director Tom Jurich. "It is certainly a tribute to his coaching skills and his success to have the opportunity he has been presented. He will be missed at Colorado State, but we want to thank him for all of his tireless effort and hard work, and wish him the very best of luck. He gave much to our program and we are thankful for that.

Feller, 45, arrived at Colorado State in 1983 and quickly set the tone for the future with a 26-12 overall record, a 19-match improvement in the win column from the previous season. Feller led Ram volleyball teams to eight NCAA tournament appearances and one National Invitational Volleyball Championship appearance. He recorded eleven 19-win seasons including eight 20-win seasons in his tenure.

In 1997, the Rams return five seniors and all six starters from last seasons team that recorded their second consecutive 20-win season with a 23-11 record and earned an NCAA tournament bid for the second consecutive season advancing to the second round.

"We plan to begin a search as quickly as possible."said Jurich. "With the success that the volleyball team has enjoyed over the years, we are certain that we will be able to attract very successful candidates on a national scale. We will move forward as quickly as possible and feel confident that our volleyball program will continue to flourish."